NEW RECIPES

 

                              

Here are few recipes for soups, first and main dishes, salads and  desserts which I hope you will enjoy.

 

                                                     VEGETABLE SOUP

This is a delightful vegetable soup.

 

4 tbsp olive oil, separated

1 onion, peeled, and cut into eight pieces

2 leeks, trimmed, sliced lengthwise, thoroughly washed and thickly sliced

2 carrots, trimmed, scraped and thickly sliced

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

2 cups pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 celeriac, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 litre (4 cups) hot vegetable stock

Salt, freshly ground black pepper and grated nutmeg to taste

 

Sauté the onion and leeks in half the olive oil, over medium heat, stirring until they start to caramelise.  Pour in the hot vegetable stock, lower the heat and simmer covered until the vegetables are thoroughly cooked. 

 

Blend the soup with a hand blender until smooth and season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, a little sugar if necessary, and grated nutmeg to taste.  Serve drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with extra black pepper to taste.

 

 

                                      MEAT COOKED IN A CARROT SAUCE

A lovely meat dish with an interesting sauce.

 

1 kg (2 lb) veal, cut into bite-sized pieces

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

62.5 ml (¼ cup) olive oil

1 onion, peeled and thickly grated

2 leeks, split lengthwise, thoroughly washed, and thickly chopped

1 garlic clove, peeled

A bouquet garni (2 twigs parsley + 1 bay leaf + 1 sprig rosemary)

6 carrots, scrapped and thickly grated

62.5 ml (¼ cup) balsamic vinegar

500 ml (2 cups) white wine

250 ml (1 cup) meat stock

 

Season the meat with salt and pepper and sauté in olive oil until browned on all sides. Then add the onions, leeks, garlic, carrots and cook for a few minutes more.  Pour in the balsamic vinegar, and wine cooking for 6 minutes until the alcohol evaporates then add the meat stock, decrease the temperature and simmer gently, covered until the meat is tender, and the sauce thickens.

 

Serve drizzled with the remaining olive oil, and mashed potato and celeriac.     

 

 

 

                                        CELERIAC AND POTATO PUREE

This is a lovely combination.

 

1 kg (2 lb) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

½ kg (1 lb) celeriac, peeled and cut into chunks

2-3 tbsp olive oil oil

Milk or cream

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Grated nutmeg

 

Boil the vegetables until soft, strain and mash well, then stir in the olive oil and milk or cream and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  As the celeriac discolours easily, peel it at the last possible moment before boiling.

 

 

                                               RICE AND PRAWN SALAD

A lovely salad, which can be offered as a first dish.

 

300 g (10 oz) basmati rice, soaked in water for 10 minutes and strained

600 g (1 lb 30z +) prawns, washed and deveined

 

300 ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp) dry white wine

1.200 ml (4 4/5 cups) water

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf+2 twigs parsley+1 twig rosemary)

1 large carrot, peeled and thickly sliced

1 onion, peeled and thickly sliced

Salt

1 tsp peppercorns

1 tbsp olive oil

Dressing:

2 tbsp lemon juice

Grated rind of ½ a lemon

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/8 tsp Cayenne pepper, optional

 

Bring the wine and water to the boil and add the bouquet garni, sliced carrot and onion, salt and the peppercorns and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

 

Decrease the heat and boil the prawns, in the aromatic water for 2 minutes and quickly remove them with a slotted spoon and allow them to cool.  Strain the stock.

 

Boil the rice in the stock until al dente, drain, sprinkle with a little olive oil, swirl the saucepan, and set aside to cool.    Place the rice and prawns in a large salad bowl, sprinkle with the sliced celery and the chopped Kalamata olives

 

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing, mix all the ingredients well together and drizzle over the salad.  Toss gently but thoroughly and enjoy.

 

 

                                         FIVE SPICE POWDER MEATBALLS

Five-spice powder is a combination of 5 or more ground spices  ( 1 tsp cinnamon + 1 tsp cloves + 1 tsp ginger + 1 tsp nutmeg + 1 tsp Szechuan pepper) used predominantly in  Chinese and Taiwanese cuisines.

 

Meatballs:

1 egg white

¾ cup bread crumbs

¼ tsp five-spice powder

½ tsp salt

500 g (1 lb) minced meat

 

Sauce:

375 ml (1½ cup) orange juice

3 tbsp honey

4 tbsp cornflour

4 tbsp soy sauce

¼ tsp minced ginger

1 medium-sized red bell pepper, trimmed and cut into small pieces

 

Mix all the meatball ingredients well together and shape into small meatballs the size of walnuts.   Place them on a tin lined with baking parchment and roast for 15-20 minutes in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) or until they are cooked through.

 

Meanwhile, in a large wok, stir together the orange juice, honey, cornflour, soy sauce and minced ginger and cook and stir until thick and bubbly.  Add the bell pepper and the meatballs to the wok, and cook stirring until heated through.  Serve over rice or noodles.

 

 

                                          TART WITH CARAMEL GANACHE

A delightful dessert.

 

Pastry:

113.4 g (3 ¾ oz) butter at room temperature

3 tbsp sugar

Pinch of salt

160 g (1 ¼ cups) plain flour and a little more if necessary

 

Filling:

230 g (7 3/5 oz) sugar

30 g (1 oz) glucose

500 ml (2 cups) milk 35% fat, heated with

1 vanilla

250 g (½ lb) dark chocolate finely chopped

1 tsp coarse salt

 

First, prepare the pastry.   Heat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and place the butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl and mix well together.  Then add the flour and stir until just combined. 

 

Place the dough into a 22 centimetre (9 in) tart tin with a removable bottom and press the dough with your fingers into the bottom and up the sides of the tart tin.  Cover the tart shell with cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes at least.   Prick all over with a fork and bake for 25-35 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

 

Over low heat, caramelize the sugar, in portions, then add the glucose and mix well together.  Pour in the milk and stir well together and allow to cool a little.  Then stir in the chopped chocolate and stir well together.  Allow the caramel ganache to cool completely and spoon into the pastry shell. Even the surface with a spoon, cover and refrigerate until firm. 

 Sprinkle evenly with coarse salt, cut in wedges and serve. 

 

 

                        CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE WITH STRAWBERRIES

I have no words for this dessert.

24 chocolate digestive biscuits, finely crushed

6 tbsp. butter, melted

A pinch of salt

(Mix everything well together and press into the base of a springform tin and refrigerate)

 

Chocolate Mousse:

2 tbsp powdered gelatine

2 ½ tbsp. cold water

2 ¼ cup dark chocolate, finely chopped

750 ml (3 cups) thick cream, separated

½ cup icing sugar

 

1 ½ kg (3 lb) strawberries, hulled

 

Topping:

2/3 cup thick cream

2 cups chocolate, finely chopped

1 tsp honey

 

Chocolate shaving for garnish

 

For the chocolate mousse, soak the powdered gelatine in cold water for 10 minutes.

 

Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl and bring a cup of cream to a simmer and remove from the heat.   Add the soaked gelatine and stir until thoroughly dissolved and then pour the mixture over the chopped chocolate and whisk until the chocolate melts. Allow to cool, stirring occasionally.

Beat the remaining cream with the icing sugar to soft peaks and stir ¼ cup into the melted chocolate.   Then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream until no white streaks are evident.

 

Spread a thin layer of mousse over the biscuits crust.  Cut several strawberries in half and place them around the sides of the tin.  Spoon in the remaining mousse, lever the top, cover with cling film and ice for 6 hours.

 

Meanwhile, prepare the ganache.  Heat the cream and pour over the chopped chocolate, after 2-3 minutes add the honey and stir vigorously until smooth shiny.  Refrigerate for 12-15 minutes so that it thickens a little and spread it over the mousse.  Sprinkle the top with chocolate shavings, garnish with strawberries and cover and ice before serving.   

 

 

 

 

                                            Autumn Flowers by Ioan Popei